'…and how did she get him to agree to hang out at the mall with her? He hates it when I drag him shopping with me at the mall. He always ends up at Aladdin's Castle… playing video games.' Kim pushed back from her desk, "I bet he's there right now…"
Outfitter
"So what do you think of this top Ron?" Tara asked holding up a creamy-white taffeta blouse.
"I like it…" He smiled, shopping with Tara wasn't so bad after all. His opinion seemed to actually matter to her. "You'd look good in it."
'She'd look good out of it too.' The little voice noted.
'Got that right.' He silently agreed.
"You really think so?" She asked holding it up against herself as she looked in the mirror.
"Definitely."
She scrunched it up, "I'll be right back," and headed into the dressing room. Where she quickly stripped out of her shirt and put on the new top. She stepped out. "What do you think?" Turning one way and then the other, giving him a good look at the fit.
Ron gave her a once over, cocking an eyebrow as he nodded approvingly. "That top is definitely you Tara."
Sucker
"Later Bon-Bon." Chris cocked his head as he backed his truck from the handicapped parking space.
Bonnie waved meagerly but didn't return his farewell, she was too busy trying to get a hair out from between her teeth. "Ugh… thith ith…" she spit "…disgusting."
Silly Boy
"Try this one on Ron." Tara held out a nice button up long-sleeved shirt for him.
Ron hesitated. "…I kinda like pullovers; I always mess up the buttoning on these fancy shirts."
"Please?"
"I really don't…"
Tara unleashed that which Ron feared the most.She had curled her lower lip down and out, letting her eyes go wide and sad. "Pwease?"
Usually Ron would say 'fine' in a semi-annoyed tone and grudgingly relent to whatever demand had been made of him. He didn't this time, choosing instead to speak in a gentle, yet reluctant tone. "Ok..."
Her pout gave way to a wide smile as she handed him the shirt; he took it and walked into the changing room. When he came out he looked, well… semi-nice at least. "You look nice Ron."
"Really?" He asked doubtfully.
"Yeah… except you missed a button." She reached out and began to work on correcting his mistake, prolonging the moment just long enough to enjoy being so much closer to him. She casually ran her hand down the row of neatly aligned buttons, her fingers lingering slightly once they reached the waistband of his khakis. "There…" turning him by the shoulders to face the mirror, "all better." She stood behind him, her hands absently adjusting the fit of both the sleeves and collar.
Ron wiggled uncomfortably as she ran a finger behind the buttoned up collar. "It's kind of itchy."
Tara giggled. "That's because it's new silly. You're supposed to wash it before you wear it… to get all the sizing out of it."
Ron continued to fidget, indistinctly whining. "I don't have to wash Smarty Mart stuff."
.x.
'…then again what did I expect?He's got a pretty girl paying attention to him… fawning over him.'
.x.
Ron and Tara were heading for Club Banana; he hadn't forgotten the one thing he needed to pick up today. Kim's lotion.
"So what are you buying Kim?" Tara asked, curious.
"Just some lotion. She ran out and, since she's grounded, she asked me to pick some up for her." Ron said, digging the 30 dollars out of his pocket.
"Oh… I thought maybe you were buying her something."
"I am… lotion." Ron said.
"I meant as a gift." She clarified.
"…like I'd spend 30 bucks on a gift for KP." Ron chuckled. 'Tara must think I'm made of money or something.'
"Well, she is your best friend."
"Kim's way more than a best friend..." Ron stated as they entered Club Banana, together.
Check Up
Wade was happy, his clandestine observation of Ron and Tara had continued uninterrupted for over an hour and a half now. According to the data being sent by the Ronnunicator, they were in close proximity to each other; in the last 47 minutes the pair hadn't been more than 6 feet away from each other at any time.
BEEP-
Wade groaned, "Not again," pulling his hand down over his face, wiping away the frustration at being interrupted once again.
BEEP-
Smiling, he finally answered. "What's up Kim?"
"Sorry to keep bothering you like this Wade; can you tell me where they are now?"
Wade casually glanced at a monitor. "They're still at the mall… looks like they're in the food court."
"Thanks Wade."
"No problem Kim… anything else you needed me for?" He asked.
"No. Thanks again Wade." She responded, before shutting down her link with him.
Mr. Smoothie
"You know something Tara? Shopping with you is… well, kind of fun." Ron said, struggling to keep all their shopping bags in his grasp.
Tara blushed a little. "I've had fun too Ron. It was really nice of you to ask me if I wanted to come with you."
"What can I say?" Ron shrugged his shoulders, a small yet effervescent smile on his face. "I like hanging out with you."
"I like hanging with you too." She blushed even more, looking away shyly.
"Here you go kids." The man behind the counter held out two medium sized cups toward them.
"Thanks." Tara paid the man and took both cups in hand, leading the way to one of the small tables; where they would sit down and have a chance to relax.
"So what flavor is this again?" Ron asked, dropping their bags to the ground before casting a suspicious eye toward his cup.
"It's my favorite, Peach Jasmine Fusion. It's totally badical." Tara said, taking a small slurp of her drink through the straw.
Ron took a sniff he could easily smell the peach, it was almost overwhelming, but the Jasmine… 'Oh, there it is… kinda nice. Where have I smelled that smell before though?' His brow crinkled as he continued to sniff the frozen drink.
"Everything ok, Ron?" Tara asked.
